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Mark’s latest mercy flight changes lives forever

Whenever he can, our eye surgeon Mark Wevill donates his time and expertise to help those who would otherwise have no option but to suffer vision problems for their entire lives.

Mark is a regular visitor to Swaziland, where many people living in poverty cannot afford eye treatment. In November, Mark joined Swiss charity Mercy Air on a helicopter mission to a remote village to restore sight to poor people in a rural community.

Along with the Mercy Air team, Mark travelled to the remote village of Mkhuzweni to do free eye assessments for 120 people with eye problems. Of these, around half were given glasses and 24 were given appointments to have cataract surgery at the regional eye hospital free of charge, with free transport to the Good Shepherd Hospital.

People with less severe eye conditions can also receive treatment at their own cost. Cataract removal has a transformative effect on people who are living without adequate healthcare.

“It’s a very tough call for me to choose the best candidates, but we always do the best we can to help,” Mark said. “Mercy Air take helicopters on outreach trips to remote areas where there are no roads and they do this all around the world, not just in Swaziland. They do whatever they can to alleviate poverty and help people in need – I’m always delighted to play my part and help to relieve suffering however I can.”

As well as offering cataract surgery and eye clinics, Mercy Air also provides clinics for hearing care, oral health and general medical care. More information about Mercy Air can be found on their website https://www.mercyair.org